A visiting United Nations delegation says the New Zealand Government needs to investigate why a systemic bias against Maori is evident in the country’s criminal justice system. The delegation, which reports to the UN Human Rights Council, in a statement released at the conclusion of its visit to New Zealand any bias against Maori leading Read more
New Zealand-based journalism academic is looking for more discussion of the role of the media in promoting diversity, and more cooperation among New Zealand organisations to promote responsible and equitable reporting in a multicultural society Verica Rupar knows first hand the power of the media to foster cultural and religious diversity – or to fan Read more
Fox News host Megyn Kelly caused controversy last week when she said that that not only is Santa Claus white but Jesus Christ is too. On her Wednesday programme, while talking with a panel about a piece in Slate, “Santa Claus Should Not Be A White Man Anymore” (the author suggested Santa should be a penguin). Read more
When Marvel Comics announced the debut of its latest superhero — a 16-year-old Pakistani-American Muslim from Jersey City, N.J. — it was correctly seen as a positive development. Created and written by two American Muslim women, Kamala Khan (aka Ms. Marvel) holds promise. But while Khan is a comic book character, she should not become Read more
The Attorney General of Fiji Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum had drawn a distinction between schools with ethnic names and schools with religious names. He says schools with ethnic names are not fully inclusive of other races but schools with religious names are OK. Speaking at Ahmadiyya Muslim Secondary School prize-giving ceremony in Voloca, Dreketi, he said, “Take Read more
Edwina Pio, Auckland University of Technology’s Business and Law School, has become New Zealand’s first Professor of Diversity. Her expertise relates to work, ethnicity and religion, primarily focussing on ethnic minorities and migrants. Edwina has a PhD in Buddhist Psychology, a Master’s degree in Psychology and a double Bachelor’s degree – one in Psychology and Read more
The President of the Church of Latter Day Saints for the Pacific, Elder James Hamula, says the Church has not put a ban on the use of the Samoan language. He said that news of the ban came from a small group of Samoan church members who were unhappy about a 2007 decision to re-organise Read more
The superior general of of the traditionalist Society of St Pius X, Bishop Bernard Fellay, is coming to New Zealand in October this year, and supporters hope he will bless a former Catholic church building that is to be moved from Rotorua to Auckland. According to an SSPX New Zealand newsletter, Bishop Fellay will also Read more
A vandalism spree at the Christchurch Islamic Centre is not believed to be racially-motivated. Representatives of the Lincoln Rd centre contacted police today after finding the premises had been entered and damaged. Sergeant Todd Webley of Christchurch Police says there is no indication at this stage that the break-in was racially motivated. “There are no Read more
Justice Minister Judith Collins has told a parliamentary select committee she has no plans to lower the legal threshold for what constitutes racism in New Zealand. This comes a fortnight after newspapers published a controversial cartoon, depicting overweight Polynesians celebrating the food in schools programme as an excuse to spend more on drinking, smoking and Read more